The Ottoman Army
at the Siege of Vienna

Part 2: Standards and Flags

by Robert Mosca
Illustrated by Pete L. Laub

The bulk of the flags shown depict the standards of the various Jannisary Ortas. I have tried to be as accurate as possible in my depictions but the source used, L'organization et les Uniformes de Armee Ottomanne, depicted in most cases only the particular symbol or heraldic device of the individual ortas. The standards shown are for the 101 Yayas and 61 Buluki Ortas, the only ones extant to posterity. The background colors for many of the flags are conjecture only, standardized to conform to the majority of existing evidence. Certain colors have been selected from tent decorations as have some devices.

Where an Orta is ommited, it is because a totem, i.e. a "flat- pan" type standard has been shown. That the Jannisaries used standards is revealed by the monk Jeremias Cacavelas, who records that after one particular attack the Jannisaries raised 14 standards over a captured Austrian position. Similarly, when the Berg Bastion fell, 4 Jannissary standards where seen flying the next day.

The standards shown are to 25mm scale, actually a little larger to facilitate tracing to make standards for your own units.

The devices fall into two major categories: religious and "Heraldic" (in this case indicating a badge of function carried out by the Orta in its history). For example, the device of the 3rd Orta is the Zulfkar, the sword of Mohammed's son-in-law Ali. The device of Orta 49 is, I believe, the flask of the Houris. The device of the 1st Orta is a camel, pertaining to tha Orta's origins as baggage train guards. Similarly, Ortas 16 and 18 were probably artillery train guards. Certain units showing anchors or ships may have been marine units.

Standards

Fig. 1 Camel: Brown, Blanket: Red, Flag: White over Red, Blanket Trim: Yellow, Field: White
2 Orta 2 Boxes: White, Field: Red
Orta 20, 128Red, no devices
Orta 59 White, no devices
3 Orta 3 Sword: White Field: Red
Orta 36, 142 Reverse
Orta 38,100 Possible Green or Blue Field
4 Orta 4 Wing: Brown/Orange
Orta 23 Field: Green
5 Orta 5 Green over White
Orta 7,156 All Green
Orta 14 All Blue
Orta 17, 22, 64, 122, 70 All Red
Orta 45, 117 White over Red
Orta 67, 52 Red over White
Orin 73, 116 All White
Orta 111, 112,113 Red over White
Orta 126 All Yellow
Orta 90,141 White/Red/White (3 stripes)
6 Orta a Device: Red Field: White
Orta 125 Device: 3 Yellow Balls Field: White
Orta 102 Device: 3 Green Balls Field: Blue
Orta 101 Device: 2 Red Balls Field: White
Orta 110 Device: 3 Red Balls Field: Green
7 Orta 11 Device: Red Field: White
8 Orta 13, 55, 57 Device: Red Field: White
9 Orta 16 Device: Red Field: White
10 Orta 16 Device: Bronze Field: White
11 Orta 18 Device: Bronze Field: White
12 Orta 19 Device: Red Field: White
13 Orta 21 Device: Red Field: White
14 Orta 24, 76 Device: Red Field: White
15 Orta 25Device: Red Field: Blue
Orts 83 Reverse
Orta 56 Red Box bordered White. Field: Red
16 Orta 26 Bar: Red, Field: Blue
17 Orta 31 Device: White, Field: Red
18 Orta 72 Device: Yellow with Red Rings, Field: White
Orta 33, 115 Device: Red, Field: White
19 Orta 34 Device: Red Field: White
20 Orta 37, 48 Devices: Red Field: White
21 Orta 39 Device: Red Field: White
22 Orta 43 Elephant: Brown Blanket: Red Belts, Trim: White Fiag: White, Staff: Yellow Field: White
23 Orta 44 Device: White Field: Red
Orta 134 Reverse
24 Orta 49, 69, 91 Device: Red Field: White
25 Orta 50 Device: Red Field: White
26 Orta 51 Device: Red Field: White
27/28 Orta 53, 54 Device: Red Field: White
29 Orta 68 Device: Green Tree Olive Animals Field: Unknown
30 Orta 68 Device: Orange Field: Unknown
31 Orta 71 Device: Tan with White Collar Field: Unknown
32 Orta 74 Device: Red
33 Orta 78,129,136 Device: Red Field: Green
34 Orts 79 Device: Elephant Grey Blanket: Red Belt: White Field: Red or White
35 Orta 80, 124, 139 Device: Red Field: Blue
36 Orta 115 Device Lion - Red Tree - Green with White Trunk
37 Orta 34 Device: Red with Gold Interior
38 Orta lial Device: Bird - Red Tree - Green Field: White
39 Orta 88 Device: Yellow Orta 133 Device: Red
40 Orta 138 Device: Red Field: Green
41 Orta 137 Device: Yellow Field: White
42 Orta 146 Device: Red
43 Orta 66 Device: Tower: Brown Windows: Black Door: Red
44 Orta 143 Device: Red
45 Orta Hull: Red Prow: Yellow Hull Stripe: White Stern: Orange Masts: Green Sails: Yellow Flags: Red
46 Topdgi (Artillery) Field: Red with Yellow border and devices
47 Topdgi (Morters) Field: Same as Fig. 46
48 Spahis - Red Sillhadars - Yellow Crescents: Silver

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